Cigarette-machine.



N0.655,254. 4 Patented Aug. 7, |900. F. J. LUDINGTON.

CIGARETTE MACHlNE.

(Appliation tiled Mar. 9, 1899.

7 Sheets-Sheet (No Modal.) u

L g; .U EN

INVENTOR- FRANK J. LumNcToN.

` ATTORNEY TH: "cams wz-rzns co, wn'ovoumo.. wumoron, u. c.

No. 655,254.l Patenten fAug. 7, |900.'

F. J. LUDINGTN. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

(Application led Ma?. 9, 1899.1

(mi umm.) 7 stima-sheet 2.

INVENTOR if* ITNESSES: M @6x14 FRANK J. Lun/NUON www l BY 7 A ATTORNEY No. 655,254. 4 Patented Aug. 7, I90-0.

F; .1. UmN'GToN. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

(Application Bled-'Man 9, 1899.: (No Modal.) 7 Sheeis-Sheet 3.

e WITNEssEs: INVENTOH FRANK J. LunmGToN, Z Y, I v I l I ln-l-Ilf ATTORNEY we norms paens cu, moro-urso., wsnmurou. n. c.

' Patented Aug. 7, |900.

F. J. Lulrmnm. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

(Application led Mar. 9, 1899.) (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Shee 4,

wiTNEssEs:

INVENTOR FRANK J. LUDINGTON.

v Y ATTORNEY THE NORRAS PETERS CO. PMOTLLLITHO., WASHINGYON. C.

Patented Aug. 7, i900.

F. J. LumNGToN. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

` (Application filed Mar. 9, 1899.| (No Mndei.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 5,

mvENToRzf ATTORNEY FRANK J. LUDINGTON.

WTNESSES:

MQSM fz/ N THE Nonms PETERS co, womurno.. wAsHlnaYoN. n, c,

No. 655,254. Patented Aug. 7, |950.

F. .1. LumNGToN.

CIGARETTE MACHINE.

(Application led. Mar. 9, 1899.r (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 6. Y

"x/ENTOR: FRANK J. LUDlNGToN.

M1464( G 1 l.

xvNEsses: @uw

ATTORN EY ms P:1:n s ou, Nennung. wAsmNc'row, u cA No. 655,254. Patented Aug. 7. |900.

F. J. LUDINGTUN.

GIGABETTEMACHINE.

` (Appgicton sled mar. 1899.

7 Sheets-Sheet 7,

(No Models) INVEN'TORE FRANK J. LUDINGT'ON.

'Unirse STATES PATENT orifice.

FRANK J. LUDINe'roN, on wATERnURncoNNEcTIcUT.

CIGARETTE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,254, dated August '7, 1900.

Application nednmh 9,1899. sesamo. 708,348. (Npmoaei.)

To all whom it may cori/c'efmj Be it known that I, FRANK J. LUDINGTON, a citizen of the United States, residingat Waterbury, New Haven county, Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigarette-lvlachines, of `which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. l

My invention relates to machinesffor making cigarettes, with particularreference to that class known in the art as".continuons machines. 4 n

In the present machine the tobaccoinstead of being molded into a stick or rod of definite` shape and dimensions before being supplied with an envelop or wrapper is delivered while in a perfectly-loose state directly upon the paper which finally becomes the cigarette- .wrappeiz The paper is of the form of a continuous strip and rests upon an endless travelin g tape or band of suitable material adapted to carry the paper along. A devicefor feeding tobacco in a continuous and uniform shower is employed, and the discharge-spout thereof is so located as to direct the tobacco bers between a pair of substantially-parallel guides forming the side pieces of a groove or channel, at the bottom of which is the traveling wrapper-strip. The tobacco falling within said groove or channel forms a loose, iiaky, but rather bulky mass, which is advanced by the wrapper-strip and in passing subjected to the action of suitable compressing and shaping devices hereinafter specifically described.V Preferably these compressing and shaping devices are so'constructed and operate in-such manner that the tobacco is first compressed in a perpendicular Adirection and thenin lateral directions from opposite sides, so that a tobacco rod of substantially-squarecross-section is formed upon the surface of the traveling wrapper-strip, the wrapper-strip meanwhile maintaining a iat position and having its. edges extending out from opposite sides of said rod.Y Advancing farther the square tobacco rod is converted into a rod of cylindrical, elliptical, or other curved cross-section, and the sides of the wrapper-stri p are grad uallyraised and formed into an open trough, whose sides are substantially parallel and whose bottom is semicircular, the tobacco rod lying within and lWrapper-strip or trough aforesaid are turned down over the tobacco. One of the sides is turned down ahead of Vthe other, while the remaining upstanding edge receives a supply 6o of paste along the inner edge thereof, whereu pon the pasted edge also is turned down and lapped over and pressed against the edge of the side first mentioned. The completed cigarette rod then emerges from the folding device ready to be cut up into suitable short sections.

`In the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a plan View of the machine. Fig. 1a 7o is a plan View of guides detached. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine with parts removed. Fig. 3 is a similar view looking toward the other side of the machine. Fig. 4 is an end View partly in section and with parts "omitted, Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan View of cigarette-rod-forming devices. Fig. 5a is a detail plan View. Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is'a detail sectional view on plane of line 7 7, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail 8o sectional view on plane of line 8 8, Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional View on plane of line 9 9, Fig. 6. Fig. `l0 is a section on line 10 10, Fig. 5a. 11, Fig. 5a. Fig. 12 is a section on line 12 12 5 Fig. 5a. Fig. 13 is a detail sectional View on plane of linev13` 13, Fig. 6. Fig. 13a isa detail sectional view on plane of line 14 14E, Fig. 6. Fig. 13b is the same as Fig. 13a, showing the parts operating in a slightly different 9o manner. Fig. 14 is an end elevation, partly in section, of the pasting device. Fig. 15 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same, partly in elevation and with some parts omitted.` Fig. 16 is a viewshowing a plan of the 9g bed-plate of the pasting device and the manner in which the various moving parts are driven. Fig. 17 is a detail view of adetached part. Fig. 1S is an alternative construction of a portion of the tobacco-rod-forming deioo vlce.

Referring to the drawiu gs by reference characters, Arepresents the main frame of the machine, having bolted thereto and extending at Fig. 1l is a section on line 11 Y right angles therefrom a supplemental frame A', in which is mounted a tobacco feeding mechanism A2. This mechanism may be of any desired construction and forms no part of this invention. Any device by which tobacco maybe well disintegrated and separated and the tobacco fibers delivered therefrom in a constant and uniform shower may be employed. In my application led December 1l, 1897,

I find in practice to be highly efficient, and for the purpose of illustration a similar device is indicated in operative connection with the present machine.

A The discharge-spout A of the feeder is preferably provided with a rather long and narrowoutlet A2, located directly over a longitudinal groove or channel B in the bracket B. This bracket is bolted to the main frame of the machine and extends from end to end thereof in a direction at right angles to the feeding device, vand the groove B is formed, preferably, by one or more sets of elongated guide-pieces'disposed in Aparallel pairs and suitably secured to bracket B. The drawings show two distinct sets of such guide-pieces a a and b b, the former placed rather wide apart and forming a channel rectangular in crosstogether. is formed between the guide-pieces cc, which, together with the grooved bottom plate C",

nearly parallel and whose bottom is uniformly thereto.

after.

- rdisks E E. These disks are mountedon flat, and the space between them at the point guides b b.

G is a smallroller carried upon an arm g2, pivoted to the standard g2, and G2 'is a large roller mounted upon a shaft g4, also mounted on said standard. A'nut g8 is adapted to holdarm `g2 rigid. By loosening said nut the roller G may be turned up outof the way whenever access to the channel B at this ses@ @wh u e p1 dlesele.

An jendle: f

Serial No. 661,478, for a cigarette-machine, I` -show and describe a feeding mechanism which section and the latter placed relatively near A continuation of the channel B form aV channel whose sides are parallel or.

The walls b b are also undercut or recessed in a manner to be described hereine nThe 'two sets lof guides a a and b b arel spaced apart, as shown, and the interveningg space vis occupied by thetwo similar horizonrticalspindles e e, located one oneach side of saidchannelB' and are adapted to rotate in rather close proximity to the bracket B. The peripheries of said disks are preferably where they come nearest 'together is equalI to or-'somewhat less than the space between point is desired.v Thejshaft g4 also carries` thereon' s piral gear-wheels g9 99, which en-v "l r wheels gloglo, mounted one upon is adapted to travel over the two rollers aforesaid, shaft g4 being driven by shaft g5 through spiral gear-wheels g6 and gl.l

K is a vertical disk having, preferably, a grooved periphery-and mounted in such manner as to project into the channel B between the guides b b. -The shaft of .the disk carries a beveled gear-wheel 7a, which engages a similar wheel lo on the shaft4 k2. A .spiral gearwheellos, also'mounted on shaft 762, engages wheel 97, before mentioned.

P is a tongue or bridge piece composed,preferably, of a length of thin metal concaved on the under side thereof and mounted on a bracket p in such manner as to project into the channel B' between the guides b b, anarvrow clear space being left between each side of'the tongue or bridge piece and the adjacent wall of the said guides, as shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 9. One end of the tongue is located close to and substantially tangent to the bottom of the groove in the disk K, the other 4end thereof being closely adjacent ,the first plate R of the wrapper-folding device, as best shown in Figs. 1 and f5.

A5 represents the main driving-shaft of the machine,and Ai the pulley by which the same is driven from any suitable source ofpower. The shaft A5 extends from end to end of the frame A and is mounted in bearings t4 co4. A pulley a5 is mounted on ashort transverse shafta, which is driven by shaft a5 through .bevel-gears a7, the shaft a8 bein-g connected with the main shaft A5 by the Vspur-gears a9. Shaft a2 also carries a spiral gear-wheel d10,

which engages a similarwheel et on the lower end of shaft g5 aforesaid. Pulley a5 is the driving medium for the endless vtape or band d, to which the paper wrapper-strip d is applied. VThe course of the .tape dis as follows, reference being had particularly to Fig. 3: Starting from point marked a: the tape d passes upwardly and over rol-ler d2, thence to guideroller d3 through the guiding-bracket d4, which is for the purpose of centering the tape at this point. From roller d3 the tape passes be tween guides a a, its edges projecting into the kerfs a a', thence under disks E E to guides b b, where the edges of said tape are caused to turn up and conform -to the peculiar formation of said guides b' b. Passing disk K it enters that part of channel B between guides c c in the shape of a trough, whose sides are parallel and whose bottom is semicircular. Then it passes through the folder formed by I platesR and R substantially in the shape of a hollow cylinder. -Emerging from the folder the tape d resumes its flat condition andpasses over roller d6 to guide-roller d?. Passing between roller d8 and pulley a5 it makes about three-quarters of a turn about said pulley and then passes between said pulley and roller d" to point 0o. Roller cls is carried by a pivoted arm d10, which is adapted to swing in an arc intersectingthe peri pheryof the pulley a5, `and under the influence of the travelingtape d itis caused to bind said 'tape tightly again-st the IOO IIO

bind the same tightly against the periphery of said pulley. The function of the tape, as before mentioned, is to convey the wrapper-strip (with its contained charge ot' tobacco) through the shaping and compressing devices above referred to. AThe wrapper d', which is somewhat wider than the tape, is led from the reel D through the guide dla, by which it is properly adjusted with respect to tape d, and then lying closely against the outer surface of said tape, with one edge overlapping the same, it enters the groove or channelB', between the guide-pieces a a, the edges of the paper eX- tending into and fitting the slits or kerfs ot ct',

before mentioned. Passingbeneath the spout A o the wrapper-strip d receives a rather thick layer of tobacco fibers, which, it should be assumed, are falling in a constant and uniform shower from the tobacco-feeder A2, before referred to. An adjustable verticalroller G', located just beyond the spout A10 and suitably driven, is mounted at such an elevation that the tobacco, which approaches said roller ina loose flaky but rather bulky mass, is suddenly compressed as it passes under the same. The tobacco expands somewhat as it is carried beyond roller G, but is again compressed on reaching belt F. Belt F passes from roller G2 across the upper faces of disks E E, as shown in Fig. 6, to roller G in a substantially-straight line,although a slight drop toward roller G is advantageous and serves to retain the tobacco in its compressed condition and assistthe tape d in further advancing the same. Passing between disks E E the tobacco is compressed in a lateral direction, and from this point until it passes from under the roller G it retains the form of a substantially-rectangular rod, closely confined between the paper Wrapper at the bottom, the end'less belt at the top, and the rollers E E and theguides b b at the sides.

For the greater part of the above-described operation the wrapper-strip remains perfectly flat, but on reaching the guides b l) it begins to curl or rise at its edges and form itself into trough-like shape, the curve of the trough being slight at first, but becoming more and more marked as the disk K is approached. This of course is due to the operation of the folding device hereinafter described, the result of forming the wrapper-strip into a cylinder being felt. with gradually-diminishing effect along a considerable length of the paper strip. The ends of the guides b b adjacent the disks E E are undercut in a manner similar to that of guides a ct, so that the paper at this point-that is, at the beginning of said guides l) b-inay be flat. Beyond said point the' guides are cut away in such manner as to admit of the gradual rise of the edges of the paper, as above referred to; a depending wall or flange b3 being retained between said edges and the tobacco rod. This depending wall or flange affords a sort of guide and support b" for the paper and serves to keep the same from wrinkling or tea-ring as it gradually assumes its trough-like shape. Having passed under roller G, the tobacco is permitted to expand in a vertical direction before being acted upon bythe disk K. Up to this stage of the operation the tobacco has become rounded only on the under side thereof, but on reaching the said disk K it is compressed into the form of a complete cylinder, while the wrapper is caused to assume the shape of a trough whose sides are parallel and whose bottom is semicircular in cross-section. The tonguePserves to retain the cylindrical shape of the tobacco as it is carried on to the folder. The wrapper is now ready to be supplied with paste and folded down over the tobacco rod.

Anysuitable mechanism by which the wrapper-strip may be folded around the tobacco rod and any suitable mechanism for supplying paste to the wrapper or providing other means for permanently securing the same in folded position may be used in conjunction with the devices already described. One embodiment of my improved folder is shown in Figs. 1, 5, 13, and 13a. It consists of the two similar plates R and R', placed one after the other and bolted one on either side of the channel B. Plate R, as shown, is secured to one side of the channelB and extends across the same nearly to the opposite wall thereof, a narrow space being left between said wall and the outer edge of said plate. Plate R in this embodiment of my linvention may be substantially the same as plate R, except that its position relative to channel B' should be reversed. Those portions r2 and r3 of plates R and R that lie directly over channel B are concaved on their under sides, as clearly shown in Figs. 13 and 13a.

IOO

IIO

In the operation of the folder the upstand-*il`15 ing sides or edges of the wrapper strip or trough are folded down one at a time. Preferably that side or edge of said wrapper strip or trough which overlaps the corresponding edge of tape d is folded down first. This foldingis accomplished by plate R, which acts in a manner similar to that of a hemmer on a sewing-machine, so that the aforesaid side or edge of the wrapper-strip as :it passes under said plate is laid smoothly over the tobacco rod, While the other or upstanding side or edge of said wrapper strip or trough passes \\10. A chain l1 connects wheel 9 with the Y 1 eist-254 When this pas-te is applied., it is obvious that the strip will'bemoistened, because the4 paste is more or less'wet, and therefore thepasting mechanism is also-aimoistening device. Pass'- ing on to plate R",.which, ,operates similarlyv 1o toplateR, the upstanding edge is also folded down, and owing to the fact that the tapeiis narrower than the paper and does not extend? to the edge of the'rst-mentonedi .fold the two edges of. the paper are brought together I5 anda permanent joint: eected. Should a tape be used of' the same or greater widthl than thel paper, the joint might be madebythe same folder by simply causing that edgev of the tape which was first turned down `by' zo plateiR to pass outsideof the edge rs of plate R instead of under said plate. Thisis shown in: Fig.v 135.; Emerging fromrth'e'. folder the now-completed.cigarette-rod passes on tothe cutter, thepart h being merely a guide which.

z 5 may ormay not be used; butlbefore explaining the: cutter I will describe indetaihmyimproved pasting mechanism, with particular reference to Figs. l, 2,14, 15, 16, and 17.'.

T isy a cylindercontaining asuitable-paste,

3o and'as piston therefor, carried on the end of? the screw-threaded rod t. The rod is surrounded by an internally-Uhreaded` sleeve or nut T2,.Which is monted in a partof the supporting=frame T and while free to rotate 3 5 is held against longitudinal movement by the collars T8 and T9. The collar T9 is provided withv an annular surface having ratchet-teeth 2 cuttherein',andafpawl 3, carriedby an'arm-` 4, mounted concentrically with the axis of 4o the: rod t', engages the=same,a spring`15 holdin g; said pawl: in' engagement with: said teeth.` A stud 5,. carried by a disk or. crank 6, projects. into` a slot 7' in the outer end of said arm. Thedi'sk is fixed to oneend of a shaft 4 5 8, to'which are attached at the other end thereof the` sprocket-wheel 9` and the spur-wheel- Qirocket-Wheel. 12 on the main shaft A5. It will be seen, thereforethat inxthe regular 5o operation ofthe machine the nut T2 is caused to rotatestepby'step andthepiston tsteadily' l advanced andthe paste forced out, thedis'- i charge-spout being. indicated at'TS. To one sdeofthe shaft' 8I is a counter-shaft 153, also mounted: in apart of the frame T and havinga spur-wheel. 14 at one end thereof engaging wheel 10. The other end of saidsh'aftlis provided withiawhe'el or roller'l, havingv a rather broad concaved periphery andi located` 6o insuchz` manner as torotate in contact with and to covertheiexit t2 of thek spout T3, the surface of which atthis' point is shaped toconform to the configuration of said wheel T4.

T5`is a` thin disk mounted onthe lower end 65 of the'verniearshaft T10 in the bracket: 16 and:

adapted torotate in contact with and at right contact with the u pstandin g. ed ge; ofthe wrap@ disposed guiding sheaves or pulleysllSand 1-9.. Anfendless belt21, runningfrom drivingpulleyl 22,011 the main shaft A5, passes over pulley' 19, thencehorizontally around pulley 17, over pulley 18, and back to pulley 22.

Therubbing contact between roller T4 andspoutvTsicanses a filmof paste to=bespread evenlyoverV thev surface of the periphery of said roller, and as the disk T5, to which said pasteI is: transferred, 'also rotates, butV in a plane at right angles'to roller T4, the paste is stillmore evenly distributed' and smoothed out before being applied to the' cigarette- Wrapper; The rollersfm mare intended to hold the paper upl to the disk T5;

VIt will' be noticed that the above-described part'siare. all mountedupon a= common base orfbcd plate, hereinbeforev referred to as frame T. A shankor spindle/T7, forminga depending portion ofv said fra-me; extendsinto the socket TS, fixed to the Ymainframe'A, and restsupon the endof an adjusting-screw 23. Thus by loosening set-screw 25 the Whole above-described organization may be turned bodily in the socket T8 and the disk T5 moved In a cigarette-machine-in combination,

afportion having'a groove, means toffeeda continuous strip of paper to said groove, a feederto` deliver loose tobacco in' a continuous. supplyupon said paper, means to ferm ra continuous rodi of said tobacco and move the same and said paperalongsaid groove, a curvedcompre'ssor for the exposed port-ion of the rod within said groove and means to at `the same time fold one edgeof said paper over said compressor.

2. In a cigarette-machine 1n combination,

a-portion having a groove, means to feed a continuous strip of'paper to said groove, a feeder tovdeliverloose tobacco in a'y con-tinu-V oussupply upon said paper, means to'form a continuousrodof lsaid tobacco and move fthesameand said paper along s'aidgroove, a .curved compressor for the exposedportion 'ofthe rodzwithin said groove and means to at thesame time fold one edge of saidpaper over. said? compressor, means to thenpass said paper and rod alongV beyond said com- Y pressor leaving said edge folded over said rodand meansl to fold over the other edge'ofv said paper, so thatl itwill overlap said paper. Y angles to the wheel or roller T4, as Welll as in 3. In a cigarette-machine in combination,

IOO

IIO

means to feed acontinuous strip of Wrapping material in a substantially- Hat condition, means to feed loose tobacco onto said strip whereby the same is carried along with said strip, a pair of flat-faced Wheels on opposite sides of said tobacco to compress the same While moving along with said strip, a belt also moved along With said strip, and located on the other side of said tobacco to prevent the tobacco from escaping, whereby a substantially-square rod is formed and means to act directly upon and further compress said rod into substantially the shape of the compressed cigarette While moving along in contact with said strip, means to moisten one edge of said strip and fold the opposite edge of said strip over and down upon said rod, the two edges overlapping.

4. ln a cigarette-machine in combination, a table, a belt moving along said table and presenting a substantially-dat surface, means to feed a strip of wrapping material onto said belt and move the same along with said belt in substantially-flat condition, means to feed tobacco upon said strip of wrapping material, means to compress said tobacco down upon said strip as the same is moving, a pair of substantially flat-faced rollers located on opposite sides of said tobacco and moving to compress the same from each side and thereby form a substantially-square rod, means to 'compress the same into a round rod as the same is moving along in contact with said strip and means to fold the opposite edges of said strip over and down upon said rod, the edges thereof overlapping whereby a continuous cigarette is formed.

5. In a cigarette-machine in combination, a table, means to feed a continuous strip of wrapping material in a substantially-dat condition along said table, meansto feed loose tobacco onto said strip whereby the same is carried along With said strip, a pair of flatfaced Wheels on opposite sides of said tobacco to compress the same While moving along with said strip, a belt also moved along with Vsaid strip'and located on the other side of said tobacco to prevent the tobacco from escaping, and means to further compress said rod into substantially the shape of the completed cigarette While moving along in contact with said strip and without folding said Wrapper over said rod, means to moisten one edge of said strip and fold the opposite edges thereof over and down upon said rod, the two edges overlapping.

Y FRANK J. LUDINGTON. Titnessesz R. C. MITCHELL, E. R. NEWELL. 

